Hi Frank
Yes, I've had a look in Pigot's 1828-9.
It was there, and mentioned as a named tavern - at this date many drinking establishments were just liquor license holders in a normal house - unless they were inns.
Under taverns:
Astley's Arms, Thos. Evans, 224 Great Ancoats Street..I wonder if someone called Astley started it, or if it was used by workers from a firm called Astley, similar to Joiner's Arms etc?
By the way, Frank, I don't know how close to Manchester you are, but if the records survive, you can research the licquor licences and get a pretty decent history of the tavern.
Round here, (Cumbria), they survive from well before 1828 and you get the name of the proposed licensee and of the seconder / proposer, who will often be a relative in the licquor trade. You can see the place pass through different generations and fAamilies to daughter/ son in law and so on. Often a group of families had quite a strong hold on a large group of taverns in a town or even city.
One branch of my family were involved in the liquor trade in Derby, and if you put their name in 19C Newspapers etc you get all sorts of goings on in the inn - inquests, auctions, crimes, etc as well as news of new ownership.
Good luck with the hunt.
Best wishes
Emms
